World

Temperatures across parts of Europe remain above 40C (104F) , as wildfires rage in Greece. Winds near Athens have fuelled a major wildfire close to the Greek capital, forcing people from their homes and burning 13.5 square miles (35 square km) of forest and scrubland. Authorities had declared the huge blaze contained overnight on Wednesday,

Six people have died in a powerful storm which has battered much of the Balkans – while Southern Europe continues to face a searing heatwave. Dozens of people have also been injured as a result of strong winds and heavy rain which have hit countries including Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Slovenia. It is the second

“I am being held at the airport. Please don’t worry too much,” the message read. “I think I will be okay. But who knows?” Kimberley Glendinning won’t forget the moment she read those words. “My heart actually missed a beat,” she says, her voice quavering. In September 2022, Kimberley’s husband, Brian, was on his way

The head of MI6 has urged Russians appalled by the horrors of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine to “join hands with us” and spy for the UK to help end the bloodshed. Sir Richard Moore used a rare speech to reveal that “many” had already taken this step since Russia’s invasion was launched 18 months

“What if nothing much is going on when you get there, and you’re stuck for weeks?” one of the Sky News bosses asked. It was a strange but valid question as we mulled over final plans for our undercover trip to the jungles of Myanmar. We knew that there had been a military coup in

The heatwave enveloping southern Europe is set to intensify even further today – with temperatures expected to reach as high as 46C. Spain, Italy and Greece will bake tomorrow and the European Space Agency has warned that France, Germany and Poland will also face extreme heat over the coming days. Sardinia and Sicily – among

Meteorologists are warning temperatures will hit new record highs across southern Europe this week. The latest forecasts show peaks of 44C (111F) on multiple days, with temperatures consistently in the high 30s and low 40s across the region. The European Space Agency has warned countries including Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland will face extreme

Two people have been killed following reported explosions on a bridge linking Russia with Crimea. The couple who lost their lives in the unspecified incident were parents, according to officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which lies at the eastern end of the bridge. Their daughter, who was a passenger in the car, was wounded and

In Italy today, the number of cities on red alert for extreme heat has climbed from 10 to 15. The warning points to conditions that threaten the whole population, rather than just the vulnerable. A police unit patrolling the river give a different view of how the heat is impacting Rome. Europe braces for ‘hottest

In a moment of candour, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky said the counter-offensive has not gone exactly as planned. “We must all understand very clearly, as clearly as possible, that Russian forces in our southern and eastern lands are doing everything they can in order to stop our soldiers.” He was speaking in his nightly

Benjamin Netanyahu is in hospital, his office has confirmed. The Israeli prime minister, 73, is in a good condition and undergoing assessment in Sheba hospital, in Tel Hashomer, near Tel Aviv, his office added. According to Israeli reports he was feeling unwell, but fully conscious en route to the hospital. Netanyahu was rushed to hospital

At least seven people have died after torrential downpours triggered deadly flash floods and landslides in South Korea. The country has been hit by heavy rainfall since 9 July, which has intensified in the past three days and is expected to continue in some regions until Sunday. Thousands are being evacuated after a dam in

Europe is set to reach even higher temperatures over the weekend, as the Cerberus heatwave continues to grip the south of the continent. Temperatures are expected to continue to swelter in Italy, with a second heatwave expected to rocket 12C (53.6F) above average in some areas on Sunday. Five cities in Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia

Ukrainian forces say they have conducted a “special operation” on a Dnipro island, as dramatic footage shows soldiers using speed boats and drones. Ukrainian special forces are said to have headed towards the Russian-held island, firing weapons as they drew closer, aerial footage posted by the Ukrainian army’s command of the special operations forces shows.

Aspartame, a sweetener commonly found in diet drinks and chewing gum, has been declared a potential cancer risk by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The sweetener has been listed as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the WHO’s cancer research arm, said there was “limited evidence” aspartame caused cancer

The heatwave affecting southern Europe has been building for months. And it’s about to get much worse. Temperatures have been consistently above 40C since mid-April in many areas. Europe heatwave – latest: Continent could have hottest day ever But on the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia they’re expected to climb to 48C in the

The search for a missing two-year-old boy in the French Alps has been called off, police have said. The boy, named only as Emile, was last seen walking down the street near his grandparents’ house by two witnesses on Saturday afternoon, according to authorities. They live in a remote mountain village with only two dozen

The UK is not an “Amazon” delivery service for weapons to Ukraine, Britain’s defence secretary has said. Ben Wallace added that Kyiv might be wise to let its supporters “see gratitude”. In a blunt intervention, the minister said his “counsel” to the Ukrainians was to keep in mind that they need to persuade some doubting

The G7 is set to sign a long-term security arrangement with Ukraine, which Rishi Sunak has said will potentially “return peace to Europe”. The accord marks the first time so many countries have agreed a comprehensive, multi-year security arrangement of such a nature with another country, No 10 said. The G7 declaration, which is expected

A giant poster on the road into the host city of this week’s NATO summit in Russia’s backyard reads: “Ukraine deserves NATO membership now.” That is what Lithuania and the other Baltic states would like to see, though it is not going to happen as long as Ukraine is at war with Russia. Even after